


Ninth-Inning Rally

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e07 Election Night, Pre-Episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-26
Updated: 2003-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 06:11:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15113447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: 'We need a ninth-inning rally.  A come-from-behind victory in which they mob the guy at home plate 'cause it's so invigorating to win for once when you were down so far.'





	Ninth-Inning Rally

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Ninth-Inning Rally**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** Will  
**Category(s):** MID-EP: Election Night  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't sue. Sports Night fans, I threw in a few things just for you, but if you haven't seen Sports Night fear not - nothing direct, just a couple word-choices that may or may not be amusing. In no way related to SN the show itself. ("I've never seen Sports Night" "Don't you follow Sorkin's shows?" "I'm a West Wing fan so I do follow Sorkin's shows but I'm a politico - they don't make me watch the other show"...okay, now I'm just being strange. Fear not)  
**Summary:** "We need a ninth-inning rally. A come-from-behind victory in which they mob the guy at home plate 'cause it's so invigorating to win for once when you were down so far."  
 **Author's Note:** For all the people whose "guys" lost elections last night. 

We started with nowhere to go but up. We were so far down it was...like when the Cubs are facing the Giants in the top of the ninth, down by five runs. The chances aren't great they'll win - the chances are much better that they'll strike out the first guy, then the second'll hit a bloop hit that the outfield'll miss because they weren't paying attention, weren't thinking the guy'd do anything better than a ground-out. But that's okay because then the third guy'll probably ground into a game-ending double-play. 

But there's the chance he won't. He could walk, the guy now on second could steal to third. A long single gets him home. Guys on first and second, they walk the third guy so they have a force at any plate, never imagining that the next batter - who's batting eighth in the lineup, a utility infielder - could hit his first ever major league grand slam to take them to extra innings. 

Then in extra innings a pinch-hitter hits what should've been a triple, but the right fielder loses it and the kid's got speed so it's an inside- the-park homerun to win the game. 

And the entire arena boos and hisses and wonders how their team that was supposed to win, didn't. But that small contingent from Chicago, sitting up in the bleachers, cheers louder than ever for their new hero. This kid no one had heard of as a baseball player, anything more than a pinch-runner or a benchwarmer. He'd been good in AAA ball, but they figured he'd never make it in the big-leagues. 

And they would be wrong. 

We need a ninth-inning rally. A come-from-behind victory in which they mob the guy at home plate 'cause it's so invigorating to win for once when you were down so far. 

It's nice to be able to tell people from time to time "We told you so, so sit down and shut up". Not all the time, but sometimes. When they've spent an entire season taunting you and belittling you and mocking you, to beat them at their game in their home arena is...amazingly gratifying. 

For a sports fan, it's fun to watch a team who has been humiliated become elated; There's a sense of righteousness to it, of entitlement, the notion that these guys have been hip-deep in pie the whole game and they deserve to make an ironic come-back at the end. And there are people who like to root for the underdogs - seeing a team that wasn't expected to even show up on the field end up winning, especially against a team that always wins, like the Yankees, is a fun thing to see. You feel happy for the guys who won, despite the adversity. 

Let's hope this is a fun race to watch, too. 


End file.
